Shovel and method of making the same



Jan. 22, 1935. w A READY 1,989,063

SHOVEL AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed April 28, 1952 Patented Jan. 22, 1935 UNITED srA s PATENT OFFICE 1,989,063- 1F snovnmmp METHOD- OF THE Willianr'A; Ready, Brookline, Mass, assignor to Baldwin Wyoming 00., Parkersburgo W. Va a corporation oflDelaware. Q Application April 2a 1932, Serial No. 608,031.:- t l Claims. (Cl. 761 1'3)" I I My invention aims to provide improvements. strap supports and reinforcesgthe. other.- Thein shovels and the. like. particular shovelstructure whichl have selected In the drawing which illustrates a preferredforillustration has a frontstrap provided with embodiment of my invention-: a heart shaped portion of substantial area (Fig.-

5 Figure 1 is a perspective view of. a shovel and 3'). The heart shaped portion has its edge 7 5- a portion of a handle showing my improved welded to the blade 1 from a point beginning at A socket construction as applied to a handle; I and extending throughout its length to a point Fig. 2'is a section taken on the line 2--2 of Fig- B (Fig. 3) forming the customary frog at the ure 1;. and front of the blade, This structure is old and 10 Fig. 3 is a frontelevation of theshovel blade well known to those skilled inthe art. The back Lo and p b n s Showing-the manner inwhi'ch strap 3: maybewelded to the blade portion or the front strap is attached to the shovel blade it may be formed integral, therewith as desired. and showing the shape of the front strap before I-Ieretofore, there has been no connection between welding. the edges of the front andback straps beginning In the specific embodiment of my invention at points A and B (Figs. 2 and 3) and extending 15 selected for illustration by the annexed drawupwardly along the sides of the socket structure. ing, there is shown a shovel having an improved I preform the straps both to the proper longisocket construction. It should be understood, tudinal profile to provide the desired lift for the however, that this improved socket construction shovel and at their lower portions to semi-tubular may be used in connection with other types of section and thereafter weld along the edges be- 20 hand implements wherein the demands are subginning at the points A and B and extending stantially similar. My invention relates parto points C, as clearly illustrated in Figure 1. In ticularly to shovels constructed with a blade 1 and this manner the two strap portions are united a front strap 2 and back strap 3 in combination to form a rigid portion which will maintain its with a handle 4 fitted into the socket provided by shape and which cannot be materially distorted 25 the front and back straps and secured therein by in the normal use of the shovel. rivets 5 and 6, as best illustrated in Figure 1. Since in my improved construction it is desir- In one type of shovel the straps are so shaped able to pre-form the socket into its curved shape along the portion nearer to the blade that their lengthwise and its rounded shape crosswise, I

edges are presented in juxtaposition, the lower have found that it is desirable to steam the end 30 portion of the socket thus assuming the form of of the handle and then bulldoze it into the prea cranked tube horizontally split. In the last formed socket which may be held by suitable jaw mentioned construction the straps are relatively members during the attaching operation. After stiff by virtue of their channel shape. However, the handle is pushed into the socket the rivet they act independently of one another. A prying 6 is secured in place to assist the weld in holding 35 force applied to the handle of the shovel while the strap members 2 and 3 together at the rigid it is supported on the heel of the blade tends to portion. The rivet 5 is also attached to clamp straighten the upper strap across the angle which the upper portions of the straps 2 and 3 tightly it makes with the body of the blade and to cause into engagement with the handle 4.

the lower strap to bulge at the angle at the rear My improved socket construction greatly re- 40 of the blade, the two straps separating along the duces the liability of the handle 4 becoming sides. The shovel may thus flatten out, losing loosened in the socket and relative to the rivets its lift. Not infrequently failure occurs by break- 5 and 6. The length of the yieldable portions of age of the front strap at the angle. Loosening the straps is reduced and the rigid portion preof the rivets and breakage of the wooden handle vents movement relative to each other when the 45 due to play following enlargement of the rivet shovel is placed under stress. Actual tests have holes also occur. shown that, while retaining the desirable features In accordance with my invention I provide a of the so-called plain back shovels long hitherto shovel having an adequate lift and a strong socket known, a shovel constructed as here described free from such drawbac s as hav bee enu e has a strength far in excess of such shovels, not 50 at d by providing initially d p d t aps as only improving it for use in fields in which they heretofore, shaping them to the desired profile have hitherto been used but permitting its use and, at least at the lower portion thereof, to semifor purposes for which they have been considered tubular section and then uniting the edges by inadequate. welding to form a unitary whole in which either The dotted line 8 which is heart shaped in Fig- 55 wish to be limited thereby, because the" scope ofmy invention is best defined by the following claims.

1. A shovel of the plain back type having" a blade with an integrally joined extension. from its rear edge shaped to semi-tubular section and a cooperating member overlying the rear central portion of the blade andjoined thereto to provide a frog therewith, said member having an extension shaped to'semi-tubular section',said extensions being cranked to provide the desired lift in the shovel, the edges of said'e'xtensions being welded together to provide anunbrokentubular socket opening to the frog and a permanent handle received in the socket.

2. A shovel of the-plain back type having a blade with an integrally joined extension from its rear edge shaped to semi-tubular section and a cooperating member comprising an enlarged head overlying the rear central portion of the blade and an extension therefrom, said head being integrally united to the blade about its margin and along the rear edge of the blade and the extension shaped to semi-tubular section, said extensions being cranked to provide the desired lift in the shovel, the edges of the extensions being welded together to provide an unbroken tubular socket and a permanent handle received in the socket.

3. The method of constructing a shovel of the type having a back strap extending therefrom and a front strap having an enlarged head overlying the shovel blade and marginally secured thereto which comprises shaping the straps at least in the portions thereof adjacent the blade to a profile providing the desired lift and to semitubular section, welding the edges of the semi- .tubular portions together, forcing a handle into the tubular socket so provided and securing it therein.

4. The method of constructing a shovel of the type having a back strap extendingtherefrom and a front strap having an enlarged head overlying the shovel blade and marginally secured thereto which comprises shaping the straps at least in the portions thereof adjacent the blade to a profile providing the desired lift and to semitubular section, welding the edges of the semitubular portions together and welding the edges of the head adjacent said extensions to the rear edge of the blade, forcing a handle into the tubular socket so provided and securing it therein.

WILLIAM A. READY. 

